Originally Posted by Corronz

Reassuring that you are doing so well, I am supposed to have a posterior fusion of L4-5 in a few weeks time and I'm very worried about it all. It is fantastic to find a positive thread as most are terrifying!

I would really appreciate any advice about what to expect post op. Does one sit or lie? On the back or side? How long should there be someone else around to make the coffee?

I am also booked to travel to the UK via the States. I live in New Zealand, so that is 2 12 hour flights and all the hassle that is involved with travel. Is it feasible to do 3 months post op?

I am eager to hear anything positive that anyone has to offer.

Many thanks

Caroline

Originally Posted by lconroy

Hi Mike,
I really was having one of those nights. Thanks so very much. I have tried to write before to forgive me. I am not very good at this. My knowledge of posting and blogging is minimal. But I guess when you are in pain and have no one to turn to you learn quickly. I was really having a bad day/night and came across you site. Thanks. I try to hard not to read the very negative, not that I am taking away from people's pain or that they need support. I have a degree in psy and bereavement counseling/ hospice. But... when it comes to yourself it is very different. I have had my back problems for 5 years now since I have been 35. This last surgery L4-S1 fusion I am now post op 7.5 weeks and I guess I had expected to be "better" if you will. I tried the treadmill my 2 week post op. I am, like you a person who just am going crazy. My first surgery was a lami had a staph infection that took 8 months for them to diagnose that turned into osteomyoletis (7mn of IV vancomyocin) than crushed tailbone had to be removed, right hip torn labral repair all this due to a fall in my house. Look I just want somewhat of some encouragemet that I might live without pain if I walk my dogs and shop with my kid and try to have some family life that doesn't hold everyone else back around hear. Oh, we have to go home because Lisa can't make it today. Oh, Lisa is hurting we need to leave. I am tired of this quality of life for me and my family. So thank you Mike I needed some light at the end of this. I was crying tonight thinking what did I do this for if I am in more pain than before? I have no one that can give me a marker to let me know have far along I should be at this point. I try to walk and I don't know is it too much? My NS say's no PT at this point. PT, I can do those exercise's in my sleep anyway I've gone so many times. ESI I have had so many I have lost count. This is a long road that I would like to find an exit and get off and never get back on. Thanks for letting vent. Please all take care and have painfree days and restful nights.

Warmly,
Lisa

Originally Posted by libra

Doc said surgery went well, I had alot of work done. Fused from S1 to L4 with cages, rods and screws. Right after the surgery, the pain and anxiety was near unbearable. Pain meds didn't touch it. I couldn't move or sigh or anything without pain. Dont' want to dwell on the pain portion too much tho, because things are many times over better than they were.
I was in hospital for 6 days due to levels of pain and my being unable to do what I needed to do such as walk, climb stairs, get into car, etc. After different combos of pain meds tho, the pain was taken down enough so that I could do my pt and ot. I am now at home. I can walk, roll over in bed, do stairs, get in and out of car. It is now wednesday, my surgery was last wednesday. I am now working on cutting back on the heavy hitters in pain meds, don't want to be relying on them. I get lots of rest and have my room set up so that it works well with my condition. My husband is in and out of work to help me. But I am very optomistic, I can see myself easily returning to work and carrying on with my life at some point - whether it be 6 weeks or longer, who cares, I will be able to do it.
I am so glad it is over, so glad, so glad, etc etc etc.

Originally Posted by cor8l

Hi Mike,


I just read your success story on the same spinal fusion surgery I will be having on 3/12/09. I just turned 30. I'm extremely nervous and worried about the post-op pain and rehab. I've been dealing with the pain on and off since 2003. I had a microdiscectomy in 2003 and it didn't seem to help me completely. My biggest issue is prolonged sitting. I know with back problems, you'll never be 100% again. Perhaps it has a lot to do with my expectations. I do not get severe back pain right away when I sit. It just gradually sneaks up on my after 30-1 hour sitting and it's usually a dull achy pain. I'm not in my best shape now, but even when I was two years ago, I still had issues with sitting. The doc says it's probably the disc becoming weaker. I'm had a flare up recently that has made it difficult for me to walk. It actually is starting to slowiy get a bit better as my Surgery day nears. You were saying that even when you went into surgery, you felt fine, but you knew it was needed anyway. I'm just worried that it wasn't really needed, but I feel like i want to get my life back and not to have to baby my back forever.

Hope to hear back from you. Your post was really uplifting for me.

Marina

Originally Posted by kiwimike

Hey mate, i spent most of my time on my back as i found this most comfortable and i liked the idea of keeping my spine nice and straight, as for having someone around, i stayed with my Aunty and Uncle for 1 week, they were a God send and that definitely was a must, especially as my Uncle would come on my walk with me out to the letterbox and back during that first week...lol it was only a short walk but it was good to have him there incase i tripped or fell.As for travel i currently live in London, i had my surgery in December and travelled to London in May, so that was month 5 for me, i ended up booking business class as it was a 28 hour flight and being able to lie flat in business class for that length of time was great, i wouldn't want to do that in economy, thank God for travel points otherwise i wouldn't have been able to afford it!...lol...seeming your breaking the trip up into 2 x 12 hour flights , you might be ok though, but going in month 3 is pretty keen i must say, but not out of the question, only you and your body can say when the time comes i guess...

stay in touch
Mike

Originally Posted by Corronz

Thanks so much to Mike and everyone.

I'm thrilled to say that I had my op on Monday. It seems that the disk prolapse had improved and the disc involved with the spondy to be fused had gotten very much worse since the last xray in January. The surgeon did a discectomy L3/4, a laminectomy and fusion of L4/5 with titanium rods.

Post op has been nothing like as bad as I expected, I am spending most of my time on my back and I take regular pain relief. I get up and potter around the house frequently and I also nap a lot! I admit to feeling like a very old lady. I am not refusing any help that is offered!

My one and only regret so far is that I wasted so much time worrying myself stupid for the last couple of months.

I am going to take Mikes advice and chill out on the sofa. Thank you all for your support.

Caroline
xx

Originally Posted by kiwimike

Firstly i just wanted to post this to encourage all those out there that are thinking of having spinal surgery because there are good success stories out there. Before i went through mine i had read alot on the internet about peoples horror stories and it almost put me off having it. but the constant thoughts of suicide were annoying me and i didn't want those things in my head anymore and i thought it surely can't get any worse than it is now. So i had a L4-S1 posterolateral fusion with instrumentation and now 3 months later i am pain free. Please be encouraged , these guys can get it right, sure there are horror stories out there and i know that those people to can be fixed, just hang in there (thats you Pam ). And to those who are thinking about it please go for it, because you don't want to carry on as you are with pain and always think to yourself, "i wonder if the surgery would have fixed it ?" , i waited 10 years before i finally had the courage to go through with it and i wish i had done it years ago.

This was briefly my situation somedays my pain was bearable , other days I could hardly bend over or climb stairs, (the day I was to have the op in hospital I felt great , always the way though isn’t it! , but I still went through with it)

Heres a few tips if you do decide to go through with it.

1. Firstly ask around about surgeons, find a good one ,ring around as many medical places as you can and ask “who’s the best spinal surgeon?” I managed to speak with a patient of one surgeon who raved about her op and how good this guy was (she had the same problems as me and had the 2 level fusion done to fix it and never regretted it) so I went with him in the end.

2. If you have the op TAKE IT EASY !!!!, no running, jumping , lifting for at least the first 3 months, this was hard for me as i am an active person, but fight the urge!, the best thing you can do is walk, just a little to start with , then go further and further each day.Listen to your body, it will let you know if you over do it (i had this happen twice) I have only just started light running after 3 months but will continue to not do much up until month 6. There is still lots of healing going on inside you, even though you may feel great, TAKE IT EASY PLEASE! , i can not stress that enough. This is major surgery and your body needs lots of time to heal , don't stress it out by thinking that you feel great after 2 months and can do whatever you like. I laid out on the couch for the first 3 weeks and just watched movies, the only thing i did was my walk each day and i believe this aided big time in a successful recovery.

Well that's all for now, if anyone has any questions, please ask me!! and please all those who still have issues from things that have gone wrong , hang in there! and all those considering this type of surgery , as long as you have exhausted all other options (ie physio, chiropractic, orthopaedic methods just as i did as surgery is the last option) then go for it and i wish you the best!

Cheers
Mike

PS Don't expect to end up so your as good as you were when you were 18 cause i'm def. not! , but i'm active again without pain and i'm happy with no more suicide thoughts at all.My goal is to beable to play soccer again, i am aiming to play my first game on the 1 year anniversary of my operation.

Originally Posted by kiwimike

Hey Maria , thankyou for you kind words and i am glad the thread helped you , 4 weeks is still pretty fresh from the surgery, things heal faster on the outside than on the inside,you have had major work done, give things time to settle down inside, don't be worried about aches and pains just yet as it is still early, i know thats easier said than done, i use to lay in bed at night and think about every little ache or pain i felt, asking myself, is that permanent ? or temporary ??...lol...don't torture yourself like i did, just relax, focus on taking it easy and doing your walks, it wasn't until month 3 that i could really stretch out my body and i found that the little aches and tightness that i worried about faded as i started to do this,(including some right leg numbness, from tight butt muscles, when i stretched it out, this faded) after all having 3 months of minimal physical activity did tighten my muscles in my legs and back abit ,but now i have full flexibility back now, i can even touch my toes!...lol...

you will be fine my friend as long as you follow your surgeons advice and even be abit more cautious if you feel the need, i know i did and didn't try anything at all until i felt my body giving me the ok to do it...you will know what i mean by this...if in doubt, back off and take more time.

all the best mate
Mike